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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bank · shower · current · rule · mate · present

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. shower — rain
  3. bank — for money
  4. shower — to wash
  5. bank — of a river
  6. rule — government
  7. mate — to breed
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. mate — a partner
  11. bank — for money
  12. mate — a friend
  13. present — the time now
  14. current — electric
  15. present — there
  16. rule — a law
  17. current — of water
  18. present — a gift

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com